Penrith Panthers forward to sign multi-year contract with Catalans Dragons

Penrith Panthers forward to sign multi-year contract with Catalans Dragons

The Catalan Dragons have been connected to another NRL transfer, this time from the Penrith Panthers, according to reports from Australia. With players like James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce having played for the Dragons in the past, Tevita Pangai Jr. now playing for the team, and Toby Sexton arriving in 2026, the team is renowned for its ability to attract and retain Australian talent.

According to NRL news source Zero Tackle, Penrith’s emerging star Zac Lipowicz will relocate to the south of France, meaning they will be adding another foreign player to their roster before the upcoming season. Zac Lipowicz is who? Lipowicz, a second rower by trade, has made 43 appearances for the Panthers NSW cup sides in recent seasons.

The 23-year-old will provide the Dragons pack great depth and versatility. He has previously filled in at prop and loose forward. He played for the Panthers first team in the “pre-season challenge” at the beginning of the season, despite never having played in the NRL. After playing for Poland in 2023 and scoring a try in a convincing victory against North Macedonia, he already has international honors in his career. His defensive stats in the NSW Cup this season are particularly noteworthy. He has a good tackle efficiency of about 97% after 16 games.

What role will he play? Fourteen players whose contracts expire at the end of the season are still in contract negotiations with the Dragons. Since Paul Seguier, Elliot Whitehead, Tariq Sims, and Bayley Sironen have not yet agreed to new contracts with the team, four of those are back row options. Since they are younger, Sironen and Seguier would be given priority; but, as of yet, there has been no discussion of any of them reaching a new agreement.

This season, Lipowicz has seldom ever played all 80 minutes; instead, he has mostly come off the bench. However, Lipowicz might end up starting for the Perpignan club if a deal cannot be agreed with one or both of the out-of-contract back rowers.